We’re purists, right? We seek to clear the clutter, end the distortion, cut through the haze, and get to the musical truth

24 March 2018

It’s why we don’t like tone controls or, for that matter, anything not focused on purity—except when the unpure is packaged as perfectionist.

I remember when Mark Levinson’s second company Cello launched the Audio Palette, itself a tone control. But it was expensive, in a beautiful chassis, and helped remove the stigma associated with tone controls.

Times change. In defense of tone controls, they were needed when they were introduced. ‘Back in the day’ speaker systems and recordings were so lacking in frequency extremes that a small boost or cut in the upper or lower areas made sense.

I’ve recorded a podcast on the subject you can listen to here. If you’d like to subscribe you can get it on your iPhone or iPad by going here. Just click on the button “View in iTunes” below the Ohm’s Law picture of me. If you have an Android phone or tablet, go here to subscribe. Or, if you prefer to listen on the webpage, all the available podcasts are here.

This Saturday I am posting my interview with the late Arnie Nudell. The following Saturday, my interview with Elton John, and the Saturday after that Steve Mariott and Humble Pie. More interviews each week. I’d appreciate it if you’d subscribe, leave some feedback, and tell a friend.